Activists from around 30 organisations gathered outside the Pune district collector's office to protest against the city police today.

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Pankaj P. Khelkar

New Delhi

August 31, 2018

UPDATED: August 31, 2018 18:23 IST

Activists staged protest outside the district collector's office against the Pune police

HIGHLIGHTS

5 Left-wing activists were arrested on August 28

Activists in Pune held protests outside collector's office against it today

They slammed the Pune police for the arrests

Activists from around 30 organisations gathered outside the Pune district collector's office to protest against the city police today.

The protest was staged against the Pune police over the arrest of the Left-wing activists earlier this week.

Speaking to India Today, Kiran Moghe, the organiser of the protest, said, "On August 28, the Pune police arrested several well-known lawyers, writers, intellectuals and human rights activists in different parts of the country and charged them under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). These people have been ridiculously charged with plotting to kill PM Modi and Amit Shah on the basis of some fabricated letters,".

"We have gathered here to strongly condemn this action," Moghe added. "These people who have been booked are those working for the rights of the Dalits, Adivasis and the oppressed section of our society . They are the ones opposing the detrimental policies of the Modi government."

Moghe added that there is "no evidence of anti-nationalism against the five arrested,". "If at all there is some evidence furnished, then its fabricated and nothing else," she said.

Another activist at the protest, Dr Abhay Bharadwaj, said, "We, the people of Pune, are not only shocked but also ashamed that Pune police has fabricated such patently illogical charges,".

Bharadwaj also designed a mock certificate of 'dishonour' to the Pune police, and and presented it the collector.

"They [the arrested activists] are definitely not anti-nationals. They are intellectuals. Whatever the Pune police did on August 28 is completely wrong and irresponsible behavior, and so we have prepared the certificate of dishonour for the police of Pune city."

The protests at the Collector's office also slammed the Pune police for 'failing to take action against Sambhaji Bhide', who was accused in the January 2018 Bhima-Koregaon caste violence case.